Standard Test Scores Rise But More Work Neeeded

MATHEWS — While overall test results of county schoolchildren showed improvement, a drop in test scores for several grades is a cause of significant concern, a top school official said Tuesday night.

Assistant Superintendent Mary R. Helliesen told the School Board that an analysis of the results from standardized tests taken in the spring shows that Mathews students performed below the national average in only 21 out of over 250 categories. She said that represented an improvement over the previous year in which the county was below the national average in 28 areas.

Helliesen also noted that when stacked up against students from 20 other Hampton Roads localities, Mathews' 11th-graders at least tied for first place in reading, language, social studies and science. Eighth-graders performed about average, she said.

On the downside, however, Helliesen said, was the performance of fourth-graders, who came in 11th in out of 20 in language and math, 13th in science, 14th in social studies and ninth in reading.

She said there were decreases in performance for fourth-, eighth-, ninth- and 10th-graders.

Referring to the older grades, she said they are at an age "when they have been tested to death. They do not take as much interest in testing as we would like."

The most severe drops in performance were among the fourth-graders. They dropped 18 points in language skills, 10 points in work-study skills and lesser amounts in reading and math.

"There's something going on there," Helliesen said, adding that school officials are doing their best to find out exactly what.

Responding to a question from School Board member Carlton P. Brooks III, Helliesen said the drop in performance here did not appear to mirror any kind of statewide trend.

One possible explanation, she said, was that there is a significant transition between third and fourth grades. "Things get more academic," she said, with the addition of subjects like science and social studies. "The test is a little more formidable."

As a remedy, she said, the curriculum for those grades will be thoroughly reviewed to ensure that subject matter on the standardized tests is covered.

Helliesen noted that a similar drop in performance by sixth-graders last year was dealt with by giving the students a pep talk on the importance of test-taking in the fall. That led to an "impressive jump in scores," she said.

"I think fourth-grade teachers are extra concerned," she said. "I think they are determined to do everything it takes to resolve this."